OPINION: Long Island Latinos need support now

William Ferro is a partner in the law firm Ferro, Kuba, Mangano, Sklyar PC, which has offices in Hauppauge, Brentwood and Manhattan.

Last week's decision by federal Judge Susan Bolton to temporarily weaken the harshest portions of Arizona's immigration law - including a clause requiring immigrants to carry documentation at all times and permitting police to make warrantless arrests - is certainly a small victory for those who oppose the law. But for those who recognize and appreciate the value of the Latino immigrant community, it's imperative to remember that the fight is far from over.

If Arizona's law becomes a model for other states, Latinos throughout the United States - including here on Long Island - are in danger of having their civil rights routinely violated and their quality of life severely compromised.

It's clear that we cannot rely on the federal government to implement necessary immigration reform in a timely and effective manner. In 2005 and 2006, attempts to establish federal immigration reform failed, and even today, the federal government's progress on this crucial issue is at a standstill.

In May, President Barack Obama said he intended to create a federal immigration law, but that he couldn't promise any concrete results for at least another year. Any reform plans proposed by members of the Senate have failed to gather significant support in Washington. Most national leaders remain perplexed as to how to approach the issue.

But while politicians have been scratching their heads, a vibrant Latino presence has been growing in our community. According to the 2000 census, 10 percent of Long Island residents classified themselves as "Hispanic or Latino." Census estimates for 2008 put the percentages at 12.8 for Nassau County and 13.7 for Suffolk. Those numbers will continue to grow, and already, many Long Island Latinos are important community leaders.

The Arizona immigration law has the potential to subject U.S. citizens and lawful immigrants to racial profiling and to open the door to unjustified persecution - and not only in Arizona. If it moves forward, this law will be the catalyst of an extremely disturbing national trend. No one, on Long Island or elsewhere, will be immune to its effects.

Why? Because it could irrevocably alter the ways in which we interact with one another. People could be viewed not as fellow citizens but as potential threats, and the law will dictate that U.S. citizens of Latino descent and legal immigrants constantly assert their right to be in this country.

So while Arizona may be far away, we need to recognize the injustice and prejudice the Latino community is in danger of facing here should similar laws be passed. Rallies against the law, such as one held in Port Jefferson last week, show that many of our citizens are willing to stand strong against this unjust law.

While it is important to speak out on a national level - writing legislators and staging political protests - the local Latino community needs everyone's support. There are several local community outreach programs geared toward the Latino population, and local businesses (including my law firm) have partnered with them to hold toy drives, donate turkeys at Thanksgiving, throw Halloween parties for children, sponsor flu vaccines for day laborers, and distribute water to workers laboring in the heat this summer. In more than 20 years of working closely with the Latino community to protect its legal rights, I've witnessed firsthand the extraordinary impact these types of programs have. The involvement of even more Long Islanders in these efforts will draw much-needed attention to Long Island's Latino community and set an example for the rest of the nation.

The quality of everyday life for Long Island's Latino community will be compromised by the attitudinal shift that will occur if Arizona's immigration law is given a legal imprimatur and takes effect. Now, more than ever, it is pivotal that Long Islanders support our Latino community.